BOOK REVIEW
Spiritual treasures in Finnish art
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30664/ar.99492 Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Spiritual Treasures: Esotericism in the Finnish Art World 1890–1950, eds. Nina Kokkinen and Lotta Nylund (Helsinki: Parvs, 2020), 192 pp.
Following the explosive interest in art and Western esotericism, in part a result of the discovery of the Swedish occult painter Hilma af Klint, a large number of books and catalogues have been released on the sub ject. While there is still fairly little research on the manifestations of esoteric ideas in Scandinavian artistic milieus, Finnish scholars have in recent years come to the forefront in the study of how fin-de-siècle occultism affected national painters, and intersected with dominant currents such as romanticism, folklore traditions, and Finland, from June to October 2020. The nationalism. Spiritual Treasures: Esoteri exhibition reflected esoteric ideas in Finn cism in the Finnish Art World 1890–1950 is ish art from 1890 to 1950 and was based a valuable addition to this growing interest, on the art collection of the Finnish banker, as another example of the vital role esoteri Freemason, and Anthroposophist Ane cism played in Finnish art history and in Gyllenberg – whose home has become the Nordic region as a whole. the Villa Gyllenberg Museum – as well as Edited by the art historian Nina Kokki pieces from public museums and other pri nen and chief curator Lotta Nylund, Spirit vate collectors. Since many of these works ual Treasures was produced in conjunc are presented in Spiritual Treasures, the tion with the exhibition entitled The Path book combines an exhibition catalogue to Hidden Knowledge, which took place at with an anthology of thirteen art-historical the Villa Gyllenberg Museum in Helsinki, essays by Finnish scholars.
Approaching Religion • Vol. 11, No. 1 • March 2021 194 The book begins with Nina Kokkinen’s A similar story is told in Marja Lahelma’s essay ‘Initiation in art and esotericism’, ‘Art about life and death: spirituality and which offers important reflections on how esotericism in the art of Helene Schjerfbeck the theme of initiation was adopted within and Ellen Thesleff’. Lahelma assesses two fin de siècle artistic milieus. Initiation, a female artists who rose to the forefront of popular narrative among modern occult Finnish Modernism in the 1920s, but who groups to frame higher knowledge, had had worked together in Florence in 1894 become a widespread motif in esoteric- inspired by the idealization of Renaissance intellectual circles, including painters with art and spirituality. Neither Schjerfbeck nor occult interests. So was the case also in Thesleff joined any of the popular esoteric Finnish art, and as Kokkinen contextual movements of the time, but instead drew ises this influence, she guides the reader from a wide range of sources including through the iconography of Finnish paint the writings of Plato and Catholic mysti ers. While artists conceptualized their spir cism. Although artworks from this period itual development in terms of initiation, did not deal overtly with esoteric themes, features of initiation could work as a visual Lahelma’s analysis successfully explains an motif, or the artwork itself be an initiation underlying air of spirituality that preceded to divine insight. Kokkinen’s typology of the two artists’ more renowned modernist initiation clearly explains its central sym works. bols and ideas, while being illuminating on Finally, the second essay by Kokkinen is how they were interpreted among artists. also well worth mentioning. ‘Ilona Harima In the essays that follow, Spiritual Treas and mediumistic art’ is particularly inter ures explores mainly three themes: the gen esting, as it presents another type of esoteric eral Anthroposophical influence upon art, art not defined by motifs in paintings or the reoccurring esoteric motifs in Finnish art artist’s association with occult networks. and especially in the collection of Signe Instead, the influence concerns the method and Ane Gyllenberg’s foundation, and the of artistic production itself. Starting from historical context of Finnish esoteric paint the mid-nineteenth century and onwards, ers. The latter theme is the most rewarding some artists began producing art through one. For example, Riikka Stewen’s ‘Orpheus the mediumistic techniques derived from as an artist: Magnus Enckell and Péladan’s the Spiritualist movement. It was common Salon Rose+Croix’ directs attention to the for a Spiritualist medium to speak and write French occultists, especially their leader, under the direct influence of spirits, as if the famous writer and art critic Joséphin the spirits themselves were communicating Péladan. They influenced Finnish painters through him or her. As painters adopted who lived and worked in 1890s Paris and this method into their work, they intro who not only found inspiration in Péladan’s duced what is today termed ‘mediumistic idea of art as the new religion, but also had art’ – art produced under the influence of the opportunity to exhibit at his Salon de la a spirit who is perceived by the artists to be Rose+Croix and later used it as a model for the real author of the image. For acclaimed their own exhibitions in Finland. Although painters Hilma af Klint and Georgiana the essay only offers a brief account of this, Houghton, such methods gave rise to a rad it confirms the importance of international ical art that opposed conventions. Whether influences in the development of occultism this applies to the Finnish painter and in the Nordic countries. Theosophist Ilona Harima, whose work
Approaching Religion • Vol. 11, No. 1 • March 2021 195 is more modest in style, remains up for the discourse on esotericism and art that debate. Nevertheless, Harima is another explores the occult roots of artistic creativ example of such an influence as she regu ity. It will appeal to experts and amateurs larly experienced a spirit taking possession alike who wish to gain knowledge of the of her body to produce figurative paintings role these ideas had in modern Finnish art inspired by Buddhist and other themes history and, ultimately, the Nordic region from Asian art – paintings that were rarely as a whole. exhibited or sold. Although mediumistic artists display some common traits, for Hedvig Martin example in terms of gender and class, there is still a lot to understand about this phe Hedvig Martin is a doctoral candidate in West ern esotericism at the Centre for Hermetic Phil nomenon through scholarly investigation. osophy and Related Currents at the University of In this respect, Kokkinen’s case study aptly Amsterdam. explains such a polysemous subject. Because Spiritual Treasures intends to reach outside the narrow framework of the study of Western esotericism and appeal to a general interest in art and spirituality, it requires that a complex topic be made accessible to a wider range of readers. Al though this objective is accomplished, the book employs a conceptual framework that does not successfully explain esoteric ideas and currents. While the common definition of Western esotericism is formulated as a pursuit of – or discourse about – rejected or hidden knowledge, Spiritual Treasures introduces it as historical currents that are based on initiation in which ‘masters’ are passing down hidden knowledge to ‘adepts’ (pp. 6, 8). Since the book covers a wide variety of notions, the majority of which do not fall within the parameters of initiation, lay readers will probably find themselves confused as to how Western esotericism, in fact, relates to the various themes presented in the essays. Spiritual Treasures could instead have employed a broader historical introduction to Western esotericism which made its complex nature understandable to a wider audience, as well as better explained its particular development within fin-de-siècle culture. Despite this drawback, Spiritual Treasures remains an enlightening contribution to
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